Apparatus for separating solids from liquids.



H. G. NICHOLS.

APPARATUS FOR SBPARATING SOLIDS PROM APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1909.

w b 5 Q A g a q COLUMIHA ILANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

LIQUIDS.

Patented July 4, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOH H. G. NICHOLS. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLIDS PROM LIQUIDS.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1909.

Patented July 4, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTOBNE Y mvmrm WITNESSES fl a A2004 MID/416w UNKTED STATES PATENTOFFIQE.

HORACE GEORGE NICHOLS, 0F YMIR GOLD MINES LIMITED, NEAR YMIR, BRITISHCOLUMBIA, CANADA.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARA'IING SOLIDS FROM LIQUIDS.

Original application filed April 3, 1908, Serial No. 425,068. Dividedand this application filed September Serial No. 519,589.

Patented J uly 4:, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE GEORGE NICHOLS, engineer, a subject of theKing of Great Britain, residing at Ymir Gold Mines, Ltd., near Ymir,British Columbia, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Solids from Liquids, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the separation of solid contentsfrom a fluid mass (such as ore pulps or wet slimes) containing suchsolids; and the invention is primarily designed to provide simple, andinexpensive apparatus by which the wet slimes or sand and slimes (fromwhich the valuable contents have been extracted by the wellknown cyanidprocess from gold and silver ores etc.) may be rapidly separated fromthe (valuable) cyanid solution; or generally this invention may beemployed for extracting the solid contents from mill tailings or orepulp or the like or for any other analogous purposes to which same maybe applicable.

Furthermore the present invention has for its object (inter alia) toassist or cause or enable the rapid settlement of the solid matter insuspension in a fluid mass (6. g. the finely ground material from orepulp) by steadily and continuously withdrawing said solid matter, as itsettles, such settled solid matter being withdrawn-as it settles-fromthe deepest or a deep part of a settling tank or other vessel (or acompartment therein) into which the fluid mass is introduced; and thisis effected, according to the present invention, by causing orpermitting the solid matter to settle in such settling tank or vessel(or special settling compartment therein) and, as it settles,withdrawing such settled solid matter continuously and steadily from thelower part of such tank or vessel or compartment by means of a conveyerwhich is caused to move in close proximity to the bottom of saidsettling tank or vessel or settling compartment or in close proximity tothe point of discharge of said settled matter from the said settlingvessel or compartment; and this conveyer brings the deposited solidmatter to the exterior of the said settling tank or vessel and theredischarges same. This conveyer is an endless traveling conveyer belt;and the said belt, as the solid matter is deposited thereon, passes inan upward direction so as to bring the solidmatter on said belt to apoint above the top level of the fluid mass, and the solid matter thuswithdrawn from the fluid mass, can then be removed from the belt (beforethe latter returns into the tank or vessel) and thereafter this solidmatter can either be subjected to a washing operation (as hereinafterdescribed) or otherwise disposed of in any desired manner.

For the sake of example I will now proceed to fully describe my presentinvention, more particularly as carried into practice for the separationof the solid components and liquid components of ore pulp or wet slimes;and my said invention comprises the following features :(1) Means tointroduce the wet Ore pulp or wet slimes etc. about or over the pointwhere the endless traveling band or other conveyer belt is deeplyimmersed and advantageously as near as possible over the point of itsdeepest immersion. (2) A settling chamber or compartment (to which theore pulp etc. is supplied) interposed between the point of admission ofthe wet pulp etc. and the said point of deep or deepest immersion of theconveyer belt so that the settling action takes place and is facilitatedas hereinafter more fully described. (3) Means to withdraw the settledsolid matter from the lower or lowermost part of said settling chamberor compartment quietly and constantly so as on the one hand to avoiddisturbance or reduce the amount of disturbance to a minimum and on theother hand to thereby facilitate the settling action in said chamber orcompartment. (4) An endless traveling conveyer belt to remove thesettled slimes or solid matter deposited on said belt from one settlingchamber or compartment into one or more similar settling chambers orcompartments where the matter thus removed goes through successivewashing and separating processes until the cyanid solution (containingthe values) is sufliciently washed out. (5) Means to withdraw the clearsolution from the settling chamber or compartment preferably at a pointor points as close as possible to the point or points at which the wetore pulp supply etc. enters said settling tank or compartment so as toavoid as much as possible (in said settling tank or compartment) thesetting'up of currents or circulation which would be caused if suchpoints are at extreme ends of the tank or Vessel or placed widely apart.(6) A settling chamber or compartment which may either be a separatetank or other vessel advantageously having an upwardly and outwardlysloping bottom and an opening in the lowermost part of such bottomthrough which opening the'settled solid matter is deposited on theconveyer belt as it travels past said bottom opening; and this separatesettling tank or vessel may be located within and immersed in thedeepest part of a tank with sloping bottom along which latter saidconveyer belttravels in an upward direction; or said separate settlingtank or vessel may be connected direct with a trunk or conduit orpassage-way through which the said conveyer belt travels; or in place ofa separate tank or vessel as aforesaid the main tank (which may have anupwardly sloping bottom as aforesaid) may be provided with a partition(or partitions) arranged vertically or otherwise therein so as toprovide a settling chamber or compartment (or compartments) in thedeepest or deep end or part of the main tank to which the ore pulpsupply etc. is introduced.

' Referring to the accompanying drawcession, and also showing theapplication of means for introducing the ore pulp or wet slime andwithdrawing clear liquid; and Fig. 8 is a plan View of Fig. 2. Fig. l isa similar view of Fig. 1 but showing a modified construction.

. Referring to Figs. 1 to 8:In a suitable framework or support A, Imount a settling tank or vessel B which may for example be of circularform in cross-section at the upper part thereof, (see Fig. 3) and eitherof conical form (as in 1) or formed with a conical or downwardlyconverging lower part or bottom having an opening B in the lower endthereof in communication with the trunk C in which travels an endlessconveyer belt D; this trunk C at the upper end commences at a point Cabove the highest level attained by the liquid in the settling tank, andfrom this uppermost point C the trunk descends to its lowermost pointnear the bottom opening of said settling chamber (at which lowermostpoint a roller E is provided for said conveyer belt D to pass around)and from this point the trunk G rises upwardly at a suitable incline(say from 20 to 25 from the horizontal) again to a point C above thenormal level of the liquid in the settling tank; and the conveyer belt Dwhich passes through this trunk C emerges at the termination C of thistrunk C and extends to a still higher point, and then passes over one ormore rollers F, F and then returns exteriorly of the trunk C and tank Bto the point where it enters same again and is guided by any suitablerollers and driven by any suitable means.

The wet ore pulp (or slimes etc.) is introduced near the upper part ofthe settling chamber over the deepest point of immersion of the belt;and I arrange means to withdraw the clear solution from said settlingchamber and such withdrawing means are advantageously located as closeas possible to the point of admission of the ore pulp supply therein.These withdrawing means may advantageously consist of a suction pipe orpipes G terminating in a-suction box or frame or device (such as thenozzles H) of suitable area which is covered or provided with a screenor other suitable filtering means for example textile material such asis at present employed in vacuum filters for slimes; and the arrangementis such asand means are providedto prevent the solid matter thicklycaking or forming a thick cake on said filter surface of these nozzles Hnamely this may be prevented by stopping the suction: and apply ing.pressure (air or water) through the nozzles H to thereby blow off thecake or solid matter deposited on said nozzles H.

In the arrangement illustrated in 2 and 3, I have shown two separatesuction pipesG with nozzles H, the filtering surface of each of whichlatter is arranged in a vertical plane and oppositely disposed to oneanother and located on opposite sides of and close to the point ofadmission of the wet ore pulp supply through the pipe I, the outlet fromwhich latter may be advantageously be below the surface of the liquid inthe settling chamber or compartment B. Or the suction device or devicesmay be disposed in any other suitable position; as for example I mayemploy one large suction device (not shown) with very large filteringsurface thereon disposed in a horizontal plane and directed downward inthe settling chamber. Thus as the wet ore pulp or slimes solution etc.is supplied to the first settling chamber or compartment B, in Figs. 2and 3 the clear liquid (cyanid solution containing the values) is drawnoff through said suction device or devices G, H, while as the solidmatter of said ore pulp or slimes solution etc. settles to the bottom ofsaid settling chamber or compartment B and on to the conveyer belt Dtraveling be low same, said settled solid matter is carried away by saidbelt D in an upward direction and out ofto a suitable point above thenormal level ofthe liquid. This said solid matter (which I have found tocontain about 22-1 of the moisture viz. cyanid solution containing thevalues) as thus withdrawn is delivered into the settling chamber orcompartment B of a second apparatus (shown to the right of Figs. 2 and3) which may advantageously be similar in all respects to the apparatusalready described; this delivery being facilitated by washing this solidmatter off the beltD into the chamber B by means of the water supply orjets through the pipes K; in which second apparatus this solid matter iswashed by means of any suitable amount of added wash water (say eight orten times in quantity) and thereby the moisture or liquid (cyanidsolution containing the values) carried over in and with the solidmatter from the first apparatus is thus diluted. Clear liquid from thisweakened cyanid solution in this second apparatus is drawn off (bysuction) through the nozzles II and the pipe G as before, while thesolid matter is caused or allowed to settle (rapidly) on the belt D asbefore, and is carried out of the body of liquid and deposited in turnin one or more further apparatus of a similar type and again washed andseparatedthe operation being repeated as often as desired untilsufficiently washed. In practice I have found three such apparatus,acting in sequence, to be sufficient viz. in the first apparatus thefirst deposition and separation of the solid matter is efi'ected, and inthe next two apparatus respectively the said solid matter is washed insuccession andthen redeposited and then carried out of the apparatus;and after leaving the last depositing apparatus the solid matter is thendischarged finally.

I am thus able to use my invention as a continuous process by theaforesaid means.

Z is a batlie plate or partition extending partly across the chamber 13(see Fig. 2) which may be used if required to further assist in keepingthe liquid mass 'in the chamber in a still or quiescent condition.

Referring now to Fig. 4; in this arrange ment the belt D does not travelin a trunk such as the trunk C in Figs. 1 to 3; but on the contrary, thebelt D travels along the sloping bottom of an open tank or vessel Lwhich is filled to the desired level with the wet slimes or ore pulp;and, in this open vessel L, I arrange toward the deep end a slopingpartition M which extends the whole width across the tank and extendsclose down to the belt D at its point of lowest immersion; and also (ifdesired) I provide the end sloping partition 0 to guard the belt as itdescends to the said lowest part of the tank. I thus form a settlingcompartment or chamber toward the deepest end of the tank, and the orepulp is introduced into this settling compartment (between thepartitionsM and O) and the settling action takes place and is assistedby withdrawing constantly the solid matter as it settles on the belt Das the latter passes below the bottom opening of said settlingcompartment.

The sequence of apparatus may be arranged all in alinement; and eitherall on the same level or not, as desired, 6. g. the second apparatus maybe arranged at a higher level than the first, and the third at a higherlevel than the second; and so on.

I believe that I am the first to have pointed out and tohave applied thediscovcry in practice, that, by the constant and steady removal of thedeposited solid matter from the lowermost part of a settling chamber,vat, tank or compartment, this assists or enables or facilitates themore rapid deposition or settling of the solid matter in suspen sionabove same.

What I claim is 1. An apparatus for separating solids from liquidscomprising a settling chamber having a discharge opening at the lowerpart thereof, a conveyer belt arranged to pass under and in closeproximity to said discharge opening, means for imparting movement to thebelt, and a trunk for the belt to travel through.

2. An apparatus for separating solids from liquids comprising a settlingchamber having a discharge opening at the lower part thereof, a conveyerbelt arranged to pass under and in close proximity to said dischargeopening, means for imparting movement to the belt and a pipe for leadingfluid mass to the chamber directly over the opening in the bottomthereof, and suction pipes arranged in proximity to said supply pipe andadapted to communicate suction or pressure.

3. Apparatus for separating solid contents from a fluid mass containingsuch solids in suspension; comprising the combination of a settlingchamber arranged to deposit the solid matter-as it settles in saidchan1ber-- upon a conveyer belt at a point of deep immersion of the saidbelt, a conveyer arranged to pass under and in close proximity to thepoint of discharge of the settled matter from the lower part of saidsettling chamber, and means to impart movement to said conveyer belt todischarge the solid matter withdrawn thereon; and a trunk C for the beltto travel through, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. An apparatus for separating solid contents from a fluid masscontaining such solids in suspension; comprising the combi nation of asettling chamber arranged to deposit the solid matter-as it settles insaid settled matter from the lower part of said chamberupon a conveyerbelt at a point of for the belt to travel through, substantially deepestimmersion of the said belt, a conas and for the purposes described. 10veyer arranged to pass under and in close In Witness whereof I havehereunto set my proximity to the point of discharge of the hand inpresence of two Witnesses.

HORACE GEORGE NICHOLS. settling chamber, and means to impart move-Witnesses:

ment to said conveyer belt to discharge the HENRY BIRKBEGK, solld matterW1thdraWn thereon; and a trunk H. D. J AMESON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

